Whilst our events are essentially self-funding, the organisation has operational expenses to cover. These include travel, training and meetings to support regional community development and new programmes, along with three paid positions at our central office.

As a charitable organisation, we welcome any financial support, however small and are hugely appreciative of all our donors. If you wish to make an on-line donation through Givealittle otherwise, please feel free to contact us to make your pledge in another form.

Supporters of Tracks

10 Questions for Sponsors / Donors

1. What do participants gain from attending a Tracks event?

Tracks is about fostering healthy, hopeful young men who are strong in themselves. A Tracks rite of passage guides teenage boys and their families through a fully supported transition from young boy to a more independent young man. Young men return with an improved sense of self esteem and direction in their lives. They also gain a clearer understanding of what it means to be a man, having had the chance to hear the stories of other men. The parents/caregivers are also offered the opportunity to explore their changing relationship with the young man as he enters adulthood.

2. How many boys and men have benefited from Tracks?

Since its inception in 2002 Tracks has managed in excess of 600 youth registrations for our programmes. It is also important to recognise the reciprocal exchange of benefits that cycles between Tracks and our large bank of volunteers in service. We have steadily increased the number of programmes we run to service demand. Tracks is based in Golden Bay, northwest Nelson, but increasingly we are welcoming boys and their families from other regions. This is the main reason we are expanding Tracks, and host events in the Auckland/Coromandel, Wellington and Canterbury regions.

3. How does Tracks ensure the safety of the young people attending events?

Tracks operates within the ‘Code of Ethics for Youth Work in Aotearoa’ and has a Child Protection and Duty of Care Policy in place. All adult participants (anyone 17 and older) at a Tracks event have an implied and explicit 'Duty of Care' for the child participants. The physical, emotional, sexual safety and protection of children under our care is of utmost importance. All Tracks staff are subject to, and must pass, a Police Check.

4. How does Tracks decide how much to charge participants for a Rites of Passage event, and what happens if a boy’s family cannot afford the cost?

Our aim is that each Tracks event is self-funding, and we set the fees accordingly. However, we operate a sliding scale so that families can select a level of payment they can afford. In addition, we encourage families for whom cost may be a barrier to apply for a ‘fee top-up’. Some of the donations and funding that Tracks receives are set aside for this purpose.

5. What sources of funding has Tracks used up till now?

Although events are budgeted to break even, we rely on external funding for operational expenses. Grants from Lotteries, The Lion (Perry) Foundation, COGS, United Way, The Shine Foundation, Lone Star Farms and Pub Charity, as well as individual donations, have been the primary funding sources to date.

6. What will Tracks do if it is successful in gaining additional funding?

Groups in the Auckland /Coromandel, Wellington and Canterbury regions are preparing to host Tracks events to enable a greater number of young men to attend and benefit from a Rite of Passage Event. Additional funding will be used to establish Tracks in these areas. There is also an ongoing need to provide for families who cannot afford the full cost of a ROPE and for the training of our volunteer facilitators. (See Question 5.)

7. What is the charitable status of Tracks?

Tracks is registered as a charitable trust and all donations are tax deductible.

8. Is Tracks interested in one-off donations or ongoing funding agreements?

Both one-off and regular donations are useful to the work of Tracks. Regular funding arrangements are extremely valuable as they allow us to plan our work with greater certainty. However, we gratefully receive one-off donations, both large and small, and appreciate the benefits of a large and diverse range of financial support.

9. I would like to make an individual donation. Is this useful for Tracks, and how should I go about it?

Thank-you! Yes, your donation is very useful for our work. We have set up a Give-A-Little account to receive donations.

If you would like to make a larger contribution, and/or would like to discuss your donation with us, please contact the Chairperson: Jim Horton

10. My service club or company may be interested in funding Tracks. What is the best way for us to find out more about Tracks?

If you would like someone from Tracks to make a presentation at one of your meetings, please contact our central office team.